Alphabet Soup: For Onni
by Windfighter
Summary: Reynir wakes up in the dreamworld and makes a new visit to the church and to Onni. However, he ends up in the sanctuary of yet another mage.


Windy: Another story for the Alphabet Soup Challenge, this time featuring Reynir! I'm expanding my horizons! I don't even _look_ in Emil's direction for this fic!  
Emil: And I am very happy about that. Can you please do that for _all_ the stories?  
Windy: Pfff, no, that wouldn't be fun. I love you too much for that! :heart:  
Emil: "Den man älskar pläga man aga"...  
Windy: Yes, exactly that! Anyway, onwards with the story! Got inspired for this after a few comments in the comment section on page 703 so... yes, Aliax, Lazy8, I'm blaming you two for this one.

 **Warnings:** Uh... slightly depressed Reynir? I don't know

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A sheep was staring at Reynir. For a while he laid motionless, wondered if it was a dream. The last days he had dreamt about being back to Iceland, being back with his family and being back with his sheep. Dreams that quickly turned into nightmares as everything was devoured by a large shadow he couldn't make go away. The sheep nibbled slightly at his hair and Reynir sat up. No shadow in sight, so maybe he was in the dream world again. He stood up, leaned his back against the rock next to him and looked at the sky. Bright colours, just like the sky at home during the calmest evenings. Well, since he was in the dream world again he might just as well try to find the woman. He pushed away from the rock and let out a sigh. Was there any use? She hadn't been there the last times he had tried and even if she was there, was there actually anything she could do to help him? She had said they needed to find her in the real world.

Nevertheless he left his sheep, walked out onto the water in the direction of the church. Still abandoned and he sighed again. He was clinging to the only hope he had, hoping desperately that they would find her and that she would actually be able to help, but Denmark was big and they didn't have any clues. He walked through the door, looked around in the church and called for her, but no answer. He hadn't expected one. With another sigh he sank down on a bench, looked at the ceiling.

 _Are you up there? We could use some help right now. We could have used some help a week ago. You could have stopped me from taking that boat. Then I wouldn't have to be here. I wouldn't have to worry about bringing Death back to my family._

He hid his face in his hands. There wasn't any use thinking about what could have been. He would never be able to return, that was the only truth that mattered. He got up from the bench again, left the church. Lalli was probably searching for the old lady. Maybe. He hoped. It wasn't like she was just his imagination, Onni had also met her. Speaking of Onni...

Reynir turned his steps towards the older Finn's sanctuary. It wouldn't hurt anyone to ask him for some help, would it? But what if he asked about Tuuri? Reynir stopped in the middle of a step. He couldn't keep lying, Onni was his friend. But he didn't want to be the one to break the bad news to Onni. It wouldn't help him in any way. He started walking again, let his feet take him across the now familiar scenes. He could see the large owl up ahead and slowed his steps down. It was already glaring at him.

"I thought I told you to stay away from here."

"Well, technically..." Reynir started, then decided not to dive into that argument. "Are you still resting?"

"Yes, but I keep being disturbed."

Another deadly glare was shot off in Reynir's direction. Reynir slumped against a tree and looked at the sky again. It was cloudy, tired, and seemed to reflect the state of his friend.

"How long are you going to rest?"

"It depends on if I can do so in peace."

"No, really", Reynir said again, more determined. "How long? It's been a week already."

The owl frowned, and Reynir could actually see how the owl was Onni for once. He kept looking at the other, waited for him to say anything.

"That's a pretty long time", Onni admitted after a few minutes.

"Mhm..."

 _Is there anything I can do? Is he also dying? Maybe he would have been better off if I had never come here in the first place. Then he wouldn't be dying. Why..._ Reynir clenched his hands and bit his lip. _Everything I care about is falling apart. Mom, dad, forgive me. I didn't mean to... I just wanted to see the world..._

"There... might be something that could help me", Onni said after a while. "Old Paavo. I have seen him wake others who has been sleeping for a long time."

Reynir straightened up, unclenched his hands.

"Where is he?"

"In Finland."

"In here. Can I find him in here?"

Onni shook his head.

"The dream world is big, the chance of finding him... Don't bother with it. We just need to rest, we'll wake up when we're ready."

 _We need you awake now. Tuuri needs you awake now._

Reynir nodded. He looked at Onni again, turned his back to the owl.

"I'll be on my way then..."

"Wait! Are they still fine? Is everything going well? Are you reaching the shore on time?"

Reynir stopped, hesitated. He couldn't keep lying.

"We'll get there on time."

He forced a smile, turned to face Onni again.

"Everyone's fine, we'll make it. Don't worry."

He waved and moved towards the edge of Onni's sanctuary.

"I'll let you rest now!"

Before Onni could ask anything more he disappeared out into the magespace again, ran across the water. _Everyone's fine._ He closed his eyes, kept running. _Everyone's fine and we'll go home soon, but we can't go home, we can't let them follow us. Everyone is going to die because of me and I can't do anything, I can't even look for her. I shouldn't have come here, I should have stayed on the farm, I should have..._

He almost ran face-first into a tree. Someone was looking at him, and he turned around, saw an old man leaning against a dying tree a few meters away.

"A foreigner", the old man said, "or a spirit? State your business or leave."

Reynir could tell that this man was _strong_ , that he wasn't someone you messed around with.

"I'm..." Reynir thought for a second. It had to be a Finnish mage. "I'm looking for old Paavo."

"Look no more", the old man said. "It isn't often that old Paavo is sought after by foreigners. What business do you have with him?"

"My friend..."

Reynir took a shaky breath and the old man moved a few inches closer, allowed Reynir to see him better. Old Paavo was _old_. His head was bald, but he had a long white beared. His whole face was covered in wrinkles and his back was bent of age and burdens no one but he could see.

"He's sleeping. He said... he said you could help him."

"Does your friend have a name?"

Reynir nodded, decided he could trust this man. Part of him understood that if he didn't the old man could crush him faster than the ghosts that were following them.

"Onni Hotakainen."

Paavo's face grew softer and there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Ah, little Onni. I have had the pleasure of meeting him once. Tell me what happened."

"I'm not really sure, I didn't see it", Reynir looked at his feet. "He's been sleeping for a week now, can you help him?"

Old Paavo looked at Reynir, placed both his hands on the wooden stick that was supporting him.

"I can not."

"What?! Why? Onni said you can!"

"I need to be able to reach him, and young Onni is out of my reach. News travel fast in Keuruu, I know he left for Sweden a while ago and that he hasn't returned."

"I can help you!" Reynir lit up again. "I can lead you to him."

Paavo shook his head.

"The walk is too long for someone my age."

Reynir glanced at the water outside the sanctuary, glanced at the old man. Could he push him out there, like he had done to Onni? No, he wouldn't be able to. Onni had agreed to follow him, Old Paavo had not.

"It's not that far..."

"Maybe not for a young one like you. And I have heard that you foreigners can bend the distances around here. Still I must refuse."

"But..." Reynir's breathing got quicker, tears stung in the corners of his eyes. "You have to help, he needs to wake up! His sister needs him!"

Paavo drew a sharp breath.

"Young Tuuri? What is wrong with her?"

Reynir looked away, looked at Paavo again.

"Don't tell him."

"Has she been attacked? Is she infected?"

Reynir looked away, nodded.

"Mikkel says we can't know for certain yet, but... I saw the troll attack her."

"I see..." Old Paavo leaned against a tree. "That is indeed unfortunate."

Reynir nodded again, couldn't say anything. _Unfortunate doesn't do it justice. She didn't deserve it, she hadn't done anything wrong._ Old Paavo straightened up, as well as his old body would allow him.

"Very well, I will accompany you to Onni's sanctuary. I can not promise that I will be able to do anything since my strenght grows weaker with distance, but I will do what I can."

Reynir's jaw dropped and he looked at Paavo again, lit up.

"Thank you. Thankyouthankyouthankyou! Come on, hurry up, he's waiting!"

"Young one, I am not in a state where I can simply hurry. But do lead the way, I'll be just behind you."

Reynir nodded, turned back outside. _I'm helping. Something good is happening. This is all I can do for now, and it doesn't mean we can go home, but I'm helping._ He could hear Paavo's steps on the water as the Finnish mage followed him. _Onni will wake up again._ Reynir smiled when he saw Onni's sanctuary just a little bit further ahead. _Don't worry Onni, we're coming._ Everything would be fine again.


End file.
